The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland List: Top Films of 2025…So Far

How often do you sit there thinking about what to watch? You might have an endless watchlist that keeps piling up (I certainly have one myself). Sometimes you are just in the mood for a type of film or a certain filmmaker or actor and want to take yourself into a deep dive. As someone who watches so many movies, I have people asking me for recommendations all the time. One of the best feelings as a cinephile is recommending a film and that person loves it. Take this wealth of cinematic knowledge and experience and enjoy some recommendations on me. Genre. Subgenre. Filmmaker. Actor. Composer. Writer. Genre. Story. Trope. Cliché. Any other cinematic elements or them. Here is The Wasteland List:   

Films of 2025…So Far

Sinners

Is Sinners an instant classic horror film with immense thematic depth? Ryan Coogler outdoes himself with his incredible filmmaking as he crafts a vampiric fable with deep roots in music including one of the most dynamic scenes in cinema this year. Michael B. Jordan leads a stacked cast with an impressive dual performance as they bring all the emotion, thrills, and energy of Coogler’s vision to life.

The Life of Chuck

Which filmmaker is the king of adapting Stephen King’s impressive collection of written works? Mike Flanagan ventures out of the horror world with a profound sci-fi/fantasy drama in the form of The Life of Chuck that takes unique storytelling elements to capture the beauty of life and death. Whether it is the incredible dance sequence with Tom Hiddleston or any of the numerous emotional beats in Chuck’s early life, The Life of Chuck captures all the emotions you want from a cinematic experience.

Sorry, Baby

Who is the latest writer/director to make a splash over at A24? Eva Victor brings a unique, hilarious, and rich voice to the world of film with her new film Sorry, Baby. Sharp storytelling both in narrative structure and the visual medium, Victor tells a compelling story of a talented woman who must navigate trauma to find her purpose and connection to life again.

Tatami

How powerful is the medium of cinema? Israeli director Guy Nattiv and Iranian director Zar Amir Abrahimi team up to tell the compelling tale of a Judo athlete who defies the orders of her nation to continue to compete to prove herself. Tatami is a thematically rich, intense cinematic experience that also features some of the most dynamic sports combat sequences put on film.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

How long overdue was the return of Wallace & Gromit? Vengeance Most Fowl turned out to be well worth the wait as we are treated to a return to that original Aardman feel that is full of cinematic magic and charm. The return of Feathers McGraw as the dastardly villain is just the tip of this perfect cinematic experience full of humor, charm, and fantastic physical comedy.

Warfare

What is the most visceral and uncomfortable depiction of war on film? Alex Garland may have taken that title with his incredible new war film, Warfare. The auditory experience of this film is overbearing and boisterous in the most effective ways with plenty of disturbingly accurate gore as well as a committed cast that brings authenticity to this experience.

Universal Language

What is one of the most unexpected and charming little films from this year’s international lineup? Universal Language is such a fun visual experience with all the bright colors of symmetry of a Wes Anderson film and an engaging crew of characters. From the opening scene, you are treated to a fun group of children in a classroom and director Matthew Rankin never loses your attention or engagement.

No Other Land

Are you ready for another pair of unexpected bedfellow directors? An Israeli/Palestinian collaboration, No Other Land is a harrowing look at the destruction and dangerous that fills up everyday for those in the West Bank. There is an authenticity and intensity to the documentary that shows footage that you would never expect to see that will disappoint you to know is real and depicting actions that are occurring every day.

Wealth of the Wicked

How did our country lose control of big money Super PACs? Wealth of the Wicked is a compelling and eye-opening documentary that captures such a significant shift in our country and how our country was changed over the last 50 years. This HBO documentary is something that might feel like homework, but the thought-provoking and impactful messaging makes it something engaging and memorable.

Inkwo for When the Starving Return

Are you ready for a wonderful hidden gem that came out of Sundance this year? Inkwo is a stop motion animated short film that is one of the most impressive looking films to come out this year. The world-building and creature designs are incredible with this short crafting such an engrossing and exciting fantasy world.

28 Years Later

Was the wait for Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s return to the zombie apocalypse worth it? 28 Years Later starts off with a bang before offering up a pair of halves that offer up something rich both thematically and emotionally while leveraging this post-zombie-apocalyptic world. The filmmaking is second to none as Boyle crafts a visceral experience full of tension along with some of the most dynamic world-building in any zombie film to date.

Room to Move

How emotional and personal can a documentary possibly get? Room to Move is a beautiful and emotionally impactful documentary that tells the story of Jenn Freeman who uses dance and movement to express herself and explore her mental illness. What makes this such an impactful and poignant experience is how deeply connected filmmaker Alexander Hammer explores his own challenges in Freeman’s story and experience.

Materialists

Does filmmaker Celine Song deliver another masterful drama with her follow-up to Past Lives? Materialists is a compelling and layered romance that explores what love, relationships, and dating means in the world today. Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal deliver a trio of empathetic and impactful performances full of emotion, meaning, and authenticity as this film weaves together an engrossing romance.

The Phoenician Scheme

What does Wes Anderson have up his sleeve for his latest offering, The Phoenician Scheme? Benicio del Toro leads a stacked cast of characters that fill out this wild international romp full of espionage and business dealings. This film is full of unexpected layers with an intriguing exploration of faith and mortality…while also being hilarious from start to finish.

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay

How special could a film about a mother made by her daughter be? Mariska Hargitay blows the doors off your emotional haven with her exploration of who her mother, Jayne Mansfield, truly was. There are shocking revelations, a trail of abuse and trauma, and plenty of tears along this emotional journey that will hit you from the jump.

Ocean with David Attenborough

Who is the king of documentary narration? David Attenborough is at it again with another perfect nature documentary that captures the beauty of the ocean and the danger that looms every day over the denizens of the deep. Ocean is a perfectly made, paced, and crafted documentary that is filled to the brim with gorgeous footage to just bask in.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

Who is one of the big breakout stars of 2025 cinemas? Tim Kay is an absolute delight with his unique presence and penchant for discomfort in the form of comedy as a lonely wealthy man who helps a down-on-his-luck musician get his stuff together. The Ballad of Wallis Island mixes humor, a charming setting, and strong performances to deliver one of the most charming films of 2025.

F1: The Movie

Are you ready for director Joseph Kosinski to deliver another blockbuster thrill ride on the big screen? F1: The Movie is a thrilling ride for sure with dynamic race sequences that get you on the ground with vehicles with a pulsating score from Hans Zimmer. This cast is stacked but Brad Pitt is the real star with his movie star’s presence as he leads this classic tale of redemption as he races down his dreams and proves so many people wrong.

Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary

How impactful was the British Invasion to the world of music in the 1960s? One of the biggest acts of that generation gets their own documentary treatment with Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary. Plenty of personality to go around, this documentary tells a compelling yarn about the creative process, the greed that broke so many bands at the time, and the comradery that came with this talented group.

I Was Born This Way

Who was the biggest influence on Lady Gaga’s hit song “Born This Way”? Legendary documentarian Sam Pollard takes the reins of this engrossing and moving account of the life, influence, and career of Archbishop Carl Bean. This documentary is a queer anthem (as was Bean’s hit song “I Was Born This Way”) that explores the emotional and societal impact of such an influential and talented figure in the realm of music and religion.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Is this truly the end for Ethan Hunt…and maybe the world? Mission: Impossible delivers the most impossible mission to date with the towering, epic, and franchise lauding film The Final Reckoning. This near three-hour film boasts some of the most impressive physical stunts of the whole franchise while delivering an enormous danger that will bring the whole franchise into view…but we are still in great hands with an always game Tom Cruise.

Love

How much can a simple tale of two colleagues exploring their personal lives truly compel a cinematic audience? There is a new cinematic trilogy that is flying under the radar with Dag Johan Haugerud crafting Love (and his two other entries, Sex and Dream). Each part of this film has plenty of thematic layers and rich humanity to explore and be engrossed in.

The Ugly Stepsister

What if we followed one of Cinderella’s stepsisters and it was a body horror film? Emilie Kristine Blichfeldt’s The Ugly Stepsister is a gorgeous looking film from a filmmaking perspective and boasts a compelling and empathetic performance from Lea Myren. There is plenty of horrific gore and body horror that will certainly churn your stomach and stick with you for a long time after which still delivering a meaningful exploration of body expectations by society.

Bring Them Down

How dark and twisted can a neighborly rivalry get? If you watch this dark, twisted, and suspenseful thriller, you will see some of the darkest depths that humans can go to get even. Bring Them Down is a horrific experience that is bolstered by the cast’s layered performances and the rich and dynamic filmmaking by director Christopher Andrews.

Eephus

Do you love baseball? The new indie film Eephus is a wonderful exploration of love of the game of baseball and that nostalgic feeling of playing on that diamond one last time. Director Carson Lund delivers a methodical, engrossing, and engaging experience that is filled with authentic performances who keep the audience connected until the final moments of walking away from that field for the last time.